Press



June 14, F D. FOWLER PRESS Filed Sept. 3, 1930 Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRED D. FOWLR, F NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE B. F. GOODRICI-I COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF N EW YORK PRESS Application filed September 3, 1930.

This invention relates to presses, more particularly presses used in the embossing of rubber, and has for its special object the provision yof improved means for operating th'e embossing dies of such presses to produce uniformly high quality embossing.

A further object resides in providing the improved die operating means in. a press of light and simple construction, which may be operated manually, but Without requiring a high degree of skill for successful operation, and which avoids the necessity for more cumbersome, spacious and costly power apparatus.

In the embossing of rubber articles, such for example as ankle patches for tennis shoes, and outsole medallions for rubber soled shoes, Where the rubber is placed betwen embossing die members which are brought into pressing` relation with the work to effect the embossing,

it has been found that a more uniformly high quality product is obtained when the die is permitted to pause or dwell in the embossing position in intimate contact with the rubber for a short interval of time before separating the rubber therefrom. Apparently, such delay of the die in the embossing posi tion permits the somewhat sluggish rubber to flow into all portions of the die crevices, some of which, due to their deep and compl-ex character, require an increased interval of time for the rubber to be pressed into a settled position in all portions thereof. Y The present invention contemplates the 35V provision of apparatus for delaying or causing the die members to dwell in the embossing position without dependence upon the will of the operator for effecting this delay in the embossing operation.

These and further objects will appear from a reading of the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a press embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is view in section, taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in ,50' a treadle operated toggle press. The press,

Serial No. 479,565.

designated generally by the numeral 10, is supported by a base 11, and comprises a bed 12 and a head 13 in which head is mounted a die-holding ram 14 for vertically reciprocable movement. Die members A and B, mounted on the bed 12 and ram 14 respectively, cooperate to effect embossing of material placed between these die members on operation of the press as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

Movement of the ram 14 is effected through a toggle linkage indicated generally at 15, accommodated within a recess in the'head 13, as shown, and comprising links 16 and 17 connected together by a transverse. pivot pin 18. Link 16 at its lower end is connected to ram 14 by means of a pivot pin 19 and link 17 at its upper end is connected by means of a pivot pin 2O to a member 21 which is normally in fixed position relative to the head 13, but is preferably adjustable vertically, to vary the extent of downward movement of the ram 14, by any suitable means such as a sleeve 22 rotatable in the head 13 but restrained against vertical movement relative. to the head and having a threaded engagement with a shaft portion 24 of the member 21. For rotating the sleeve 22 to make an adjustment a hand wheel 23, integral with the sleeve may be provided, and locking of the hand wheel 23 and sleeve 22 in adjusted position relative to the shaft 24; and press head may be. effected by means of a lock nut 25.

Each of the links 16 and 17 is preferably bifurcated at both of its ends in order that the pivot pins 18, 19 and 20 may be engaged by the links at spaced points for lateral stability of the linkage. The mounting of the bifurcated portions of the links 16 and 17 on pin 18 is shown in Fig. 2, from an examination of which the mounting of links 16 and 17 on pins 19 and 20 respectively will be understood.

For operating the toggle linkage. 15 to effect vertical movement of the rain 111 a system of levers is provided, the system of levers being connected to a foot treadle 26 which is pivoted at 27 to the base 11 and is normally urged to its upward position against a stop 28 by a tension spring 29 interposed between the treadle and a fixed part of the press. A vertically disposed rod 30 is pivoted at its lower end to the treadle and at its upper end i to one arm of a bell crank lever 31 which is pivotally mounted at 32 in the frame of the press. The frame of the press is preferably hollow, being shown to be substantially U- shaped in cross section in Fig. 2, in order to v accommodate-the bell crank lever 31 fand other parts of theV operating mechanism. The second arm of the bell crank lever is bifurcated, as shown at 33 in Fig. 2 and in this bifurcated portion is mounted a transverse pin 34. A link Y35, connecting the bell crank lever 31 with the toggle linkage 15, is formed adjacent oneof its ends with an elongated slot 36in which rides the pin 34 of the bell crank, the othei` end of the link 35 being apertured to accommodate pin 18 of the toggle linkage. v y

'Ihe toggle linkage l5l is provided with a pair of tension springsV 38 connecting the outer ends of pins 19 and 20mand tending to fold the toggle to the position of Fig. 1, further folding of the toggle being `prevented bythe operating links and levers which are held against further backward movement by engagement of the treadle 26 with the stop 28. The toggle linkage 15 is adapted to be straightened from the position of Fig. 1 to a position where the pins 18, 19 and20 are in substantial vertical alignment, thus effecting. a dead center'position of the links, whereby the ram 14 will4 be temporarily locked in its lowermost position. An adjustable stop 37 isV positioned in the path of link 16 of the toggle to prevent movement ofthe linkage past the dead center position to any und e.4 sirable extent. r

In operation, assuming the parts to be in the position of Fig. 1, depression of the treadle 29 will cause downward movement of rod 30, clockwise rotationof'bel'l crank 31 and approximately horizontal movement of the link 35 to the right. This will cause the central pin 18 of the toggle to be drawn to the right, effecting a straightening of the toggle linkage to its dead center position whereby the ram 14 will be locked in its lowermost position for embossing of work placed between the die members.

On release of the treadle 26, permitting it to rise under the influence of spring 29, to its normal position against stop 28, the rod 30 will be caused to rise and the bell crank level' 31 to turn counterclockwise. Breaking of the dead center lock of the toggle with folding of the togglel to the position of Fig. 1,

" and consequent rise of the ram 14 and separation of the die member B from the work will occur, but not before the pin 34 of the bell crank lever has first traversed the length of elongated slot 36, causing a delay Vvor dwell ofthe die in the embossing position.y

On engagement of pin 34 with the left hand end of slot 36, link 35 will be moved to the left to move pin 18 out of its dead center alignment with' pins 19 and 20, and assisted by the force of springs 38, the toggle linkage will be folded and the ram 14 raised to the position of Fig. 1. After removing work which has ust been embossed, new work may now be placed beteween the die members, and theV press is then ready for another similar operation. Y l f By the mechanism above described it will 'beseen that, regardless of how short a period where the material worked upon isof rubber composition. v What I claim is: l i s 1. In apress, in combination, a ram, operating means, mechanism for moving said ramz to and from a work-engaging position, means included in said mechanism under control of said operating means forretaining the ram in said position and for releasing the same, and means for delaying the releasing action of said ram retaining means after release by said operating means for a time interval having a determinate minimum duration.

2. vIn a press, in combination, a ram, manually operable mechanism for moving the ram to and from a work-engaging position, means lincluded in said mechanism for retaining thek ram in said position, and means operable independentlyrof the will ofthe operator for delayingy the releasingy action of said first mentionedV `means after 'manual' releasing operationy of said mechanism for a time intervalY having tion. Y

V3. In a press, in combination, a ram, mechanism including atoggle linkage for inov-` ing said ram to andfrom awork-engaging position the links'of said toggle being placed in dead' center relation whenV the ram is moved to said position, and'adelayaction linkage included in said mechanism for moving the links of the toggleto release'them' from their dead center relation. 4. In a press, in combination, a ram, a tread'le, mechanism interposed between said ram and said treadle for movingV said ram to a work-engaging position on depression of the treadle and for returning the fram on release of the treadle, and'means included in saidmechanism for causing, a delay of the a determinate minimum dura-V ram in said work-engaging position when said treadle is released.

5. In a press, in combination, a ram, a treadle, mechanism interposed between said ram and said treadle for moving said ram to a work-engaging position on depression of the treadle and for returning the ram on release of the treadle, a toggle linkage included in said mechanism adapted to be set in dead center to retain the ram in said work-engaging position on depression of the treadle and to be released from dead center to permit return of the ram after release of the treadle, and means for causing a delay in the release of said toggle from dead center when the treadle is released.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of August, 1930.

FRE-D D. FOWLER. 

